The Curse
by TigerLily-112
Summary: Potter boys are destined for red-heads, there really is no use in fighting it.


_A/N: O., I wrote a one-shot! and I'll save my discussion of what this means until after your read the thing. enjoy._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters mentions, or any thing else really.

* * *

_

**The Curse**

**

* * *

**Lily Evans scowled at the roll of blank parchment that lay on the table in front of her. The green eyed head girl was sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, her various notes and books spread around her. She held her quill poised to write, but did not move, silently willing her transfiguration essay to write itself.

From across the room the head boy, James Potter, had his hazel eyes trained on her, watching from below his unruly black hair, his hand also poised over a transfiguration essay, though his was nearly finished. He smiled as she absentmindedly twirled her pony tail around her finger, the deep red hair glowing under the fire light.

"Can't avoid that curse after all," a gruff voice whispered in his ear.

"It is _not_ a curse" James stated matter-of-factly, diverting his attention as his best friend settled in the closest available chair. "It is simply a matter of personal taste."

Sirius smirked, his grey eyes twinkled as he brushed a long lock of black hair from his face, "That's not what you said when we rode the train here first year, '_Merlin help me, that red head is going to be the one if I can't break this curse_'" He adopted a high pitch voice for young James, "What curse, I asked, are you talking about? '_First born Potter son is doomed to love a red head' _Well, that's the weirdest curse I've ever heard of! '_It was a practical joke gone wrong, but I'm ending it! I'm going to get every red-head in the school to hate me, ensuring that I won't be following in the Potter foot prints!'"_

"I'm a little nervous that you had that entire conversation memorized," James unconsciously ran his free hand through his hair.

"When someone is speaking of breaking a family curse you pay attention, because one day you will want to throw it back in their face," Sirius flashed a toothy grin

"Sure, Mr. I-refuse-to-be-a-Slytherin-like-the-rest-of-my-rotten-family" James replaced his quill into its ink well and crossed his arms, "All that conversations shows is that my eleven year old self was a git, and between his aversion to a specific hair color and his choice of you as a best mate, I am also realizing that he had horrible taste."

Sirius' laugh was loud and barking, drawing the attention of the common room, Lily's glare moved from her parchment to the corner where the boys were huddled. Noticing this, James hit Sirius with a nearby throw pillow to shut him up before waving an apology at the girl.

"Ouch" Sirius smoothed his hair, "I thought head students were supposed to solve problems verbally, not with violence" he shot James a reproachful look before realizing that his friend was not paying attention.

Lily had walked over, "We make expectations for problem cases, Black" her icy tone did not reach her sparkling emerald eyes.

"I always knew you thought I was special, Lils," He grinned up at her, "but alas, our love must be hidden, lest James hears that the head girl is having inappropriate relations, and report us to McGonagall, like the model head boy he is."

James hit him with the pillow again. "What can we do for you Lily?"

"Well, I notice you're working on an essay and I was just wondering if it happened to be the one McGonagall assigned…"

"No need to say anything, I can tell when I'm not wanted!" Sirius interjected dramatically, standing up and pretending to storm towards the stairs to the boys' dormitory, an illusion which was destroyed by him turning around and giving an obvious wink to James.

Lily rolled her eyes and turned back towards James, "As I was saying, if it is the transfiguration essay, I was hoping that we could talk about it."

"Still haven't started have you?" he quirked an eyebrow

Lily's procrastination skills were legendary in the Gryffindor common room. She could put an essay off till the day before it was due and manage to get top marks anyways. Whatever her system was it had worked in every class, except for transfiguration, it was the one class she had to really try in.

Though that is not to say that her other classes were overly easy, just that going to lecture and taking notes was enough. She had developed a routine of reading the text books before the term started so that she could just skim the chapters when working on homework.

She defiantly put the time into learning the material, time over the holidays when trapped in the muggle world with little else to do, or else while she was in class, during the time she had to devote to the effort. The rest of her hours she tried to fill with her friends whenever possible, in the uncertain times that the wizarding world was experiencing she wanted to be able to look back on her years at Hogwarts and remember moments spent with friends, she wanted to remember the laughter, the games, the love, not afternoons spent in the library hunched over books, or cooped up in the common room writing an essay. And yet here she was, Thursday night, away from the girls who were gossiping in their dormitory.

She gave James a pleading look, "No, I haven't started yet"

"Shall I move to your table, or do you want to move over here?" He smiled softly, and gave a small chuckle under his breath.

"I'll go grab my things" She positively beamed, and if someone had not been aware of the years of dislike and avoidance he would have thought that she and James were very good friends.

As it were the two had a tentative friendship, fostered by late night patrols together that often meant they were the last ones finishing up homework, and tonight when she finished her essay they were scheduled for another patrol.

As Lily settled down into the seat Sirius had vacated James looked down at her black parchment, "You might want to start with your name, it helps if she knows who she's grading."

"Oh, wow, why didn't I think of that," sarcasm dripped from her words, but she leaned forward and wrote her name any way, "Better?"

"Much," James nodded, "Now the theory behind protean charms and how it is used"

"Yes that would be the part where I'm stuck," she pursed her lips in annoyance.

"You do know what the spell does right?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Of course I do! It links objects together, it's one of the basic ways the castle is protected, McGonagall has all of the statues in the place linked to fight if we ever come under siege." She rolled her eyes as if this common knowledge was beneath her.

"Right, so why don't you start with that, only elaborate a bit," he gestured to her parchment again.

"You are so helpful, why didn't I think to write everything I already know," she leaned forward and put quill to parchment yet again.

"That's where I started," he mumbled, also turning back to his own parchment to finish his conclusion.

Lily had paused to watch him, "How long is that?"

"Nearly three feet I'd say," he shrugged.

"It was only supposed to be two, and when did your handwriting get so tiny?" she stared open mouthed.

"It has shrunk a bit this year," he said noncommittally, "and the extra foot is because I went into detail on some ideas I had."

"What ideas?" she pursed her lips.

"Well it sort of overlaps with my defense against the dark arks, but I was thinking that death eaters are marked by their master, and he uses those marks to communicate with them, to call them, so their linked, so why can't we do something like that?" he looked into her terrified face, "Not like a permanent mark or anything," he shook his head hastily, "but what if aurors carried a little trinket, or wore a bracelet that told them when there was an emergency, or if healers had them, and what would it take to make, say, a two way mirror go more than two ways, so that a few people could instantaneously talk to one another, no worry of people eaves dropping on the floo, or intercepting an owl…" he trailed off at seeing her still gaping expression.

She shook her head quickly, "That's bloody brilliant!"

"Thanks," he blushed slightly, looking back down.

"I haven't heard of two-way mirrors though, they can't be common"

"Yeah, the spell work is a bit tricky, and fairly weak if you start from pre-existing mirrors, it's strongest if you enchant the silver and tin while they're still liquid before their applied to the glass, I think that's how mine was made, I bet they'd work even if it was shattered as long as the shards were big enough."

"You would have a set"

"Nope, I only own one, the other belongs to Sirius, my mum gave them to us for Christmas second year, to talk to each other when we're stuck in different detentions," he smiled.

"That's how you two do it then, always seem a step ahead, matching alibis and whatnot"

He grinned, "Yep, we would have had so many more detentions if our stories didn't add up."

"Alright, I think I have enough info to write two feet, it's stronger if individual components are enchanted before making the whole…" her voice went quieter and quieter as she scribbled across the parchment.

James smiled and dipped his quill in ink for the last time, writing one last sentence before blowing on the ink to help the drying process. Satisfied with his work he leaned back at watched Lily furiously writing her essay.

For the majority of their time in school together James had been, in Lily's word, an arrogant toe rag, constantly pestering her, antagonizing her friends, and picking on any poor soul who happened to be around when he was bored.

James and Sirius virtually ruled the school, they were both brilliant without much apparent effort, James was a quidditch god, and Sirius was the most attractive young man in the castle with his sleek black hair and devil-may-care attitude. With the majority of Hogwarts falling at their feet Lily had taken it upon herself to stand against them and their little 'marauders' as they had dubbed themselves.

James usually bore the brunt of her fury, not only because it was he who had targeted her but also because he enjoyed the fight. Their arguments were epic, drawing crowds, fueling weeks of gossip; James and Lily had been a force of nature, in a word, legendary. The school had been rather disappointed that the two seemed to have cooled this year. When it was first announced that they would be head students rumors started to fly and bets were placed on who would quit first; the odds had James as the one to give up, and he took that as a personal challenge.

So he cooled down, put aside his ego and was out to prove the school and Lily wrong.

Lily, while surprised by this change, welcomed the new and mature James, and so a cautious friendship was formed. And though she would admit it to no one she found his change in attitude rather fanciable. This new James was always around when she needed help, and not just for homework. He was there with a joke when she was in a foul mood, a book when she was bored, and an extra biscuit when she was feeling peckish. She mentally reminded herself to thank him.

More than half way through the assignment she looked up, realizing that he had been sitting there staring at her for the better part of an hour. "You don't have to stay here if you're done"

He shook himself out of his thoughts, "and miss the chance to correct Lily Evans' essay? I think not."

"Who said you got to edit my work?"she put down her quill and crossed her arms.

"I did, just now," he grinned, "It's my reward for sitting here and waiting for you to finish"

"I just told you that you didn't have to wait"

"Yes, and had you told me this about forty minutes ago I would have left, but now I have invested too much time"

"You just want to show off, Potter, but I already know you're better at transfiguration"

"That hurts, Evans," he drew out the name, hissing at the end, "maybe I just wanted to make sure you didn't make any mistakes"

"I'm sorry, James," she emphasized his given name in a similar fashion, "I need to stop assuming the worst of you"

"Apology accepted Lily" He nodded, "Now hurry up, we have patrols in an hour"

She rolled her eyes and picked her quill up again.

She had never realized until this year that James Potter was always on time, to meals, to class, to quidditch practice, and patrols. He was never without his watch, always checking it to make sure that his day was going according to schedule. She had always assumed he just did whatever he felt like whenever he felt like it, but he followed a fairly strict plan. She suspected that his planning was the reason the pranks he and his friends pulled were so successful.

He coughed and she shook her head, as he had moments before.

"It's not going to write itself," he tapped his watch impatiently.

"Hold your hippogriffs, I was just thinking about the next paragraph" she stuck out her tongue and diverted her thoughts back to the protean spell.

James smirked and busied himself with planning quidditch practices, their next match was still weeks away, but Hufflepuff was looking pretty good this year.

By the time he had planned the drills for the next week Lily gave a cough, "All yours mon capitan"

"Thank you Miss Evans" he snatched the parchment towards him. She watched nervously as his eyes darted back and forth across the page, finally coming to the end he looked back up at her face, "Looks good, except this bit about the process that one would go through to link all of the objects within a large building, it's a bit more complex then what you're describing, and though those objects are linked they don't all do the exact same thing, they work off of each other and surrounding if you use the proper charm to compliment the protean spell," he gestured towards this paragraph.

"Oh, I suppose I'll have to re-write that then" she embarrassedly ran her hand behind her neck staring at the paragraph, her brain formulating new sentences.

"Nah if you understand that I don't feel guilty doing this," he smiled and pointed his wand at the paper, she watched in awe as her letter rearranged themselves to form different words and correctly explain all that James had just said, in her own handwriting.

"Where did you learn that one?"

"Remus developed it, for Peter, so he didn't have to rewrite an entire essay every time he missed something, and I suppose Sirius and I use it too, Remus always makes us write our own essays and then he goes over them afterwards. The man knows how to write," James grinned before looking down at his watch, "We'd better go put our stuff in the dormitories patrol in five minutes."

She nodded, pulling her stack of books towards her, "Thanks James" she smiled

"No problem, what are friends for?" He winked and grabbed his supplies, "meet you by the portrait hole after I deposit this."

"Yeah, I'll be right there," her insides squirmed disappointedly at the word 'friends'.

They headed for their respective stair cases, once out of sight Lily bolted up the remaining stairs and burst into the seventh year girls' dormitory.

"About time you finished that!" Marlene McKinnon looked over from her bed where the rest of the girls were huddled, "you're just in time for our favorite program," she gestured to the wireless that was levitating between the girls.

"I wish, I have patrols tonight" She opened her trunk and set her books in.

"Ooooh, some alone time with Potter," Mary McDonald grinned, "maybe after you flush out the astronomy tower you can get cozy"

"I'm going to bet broom closet," Emmeline Vance winked, "less likely someone will walk in on them."

"Cheers for that, but, despite whatever Hogwarts is gossiping this week, James and I are just friends," she said, reminding herself that he had just said so, "And I've got to go be mature and responsible and stop students from sneaking around and snogging after hours" she stuck her tongue out before disappearing back out the door.

She bounded into the common room and skidded to a halt in front of James, who was standing next to the portrait hole, as promised, "Shall we," he pushed it open and gestured her through.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to have a quick banter with the girls," she stepped out into the corridor.

"I know that a lady must always keep a man waiting," he smiled, "it's one of the ways you work your womanly wiles" he winked and lead the way to the closets stairs.

They tended to work from bottom to top on their patrols, always ending in the astronomy tower, which was where they were most likely to encounter students breaking curfew. Lily was fairly certain that James had proposed this pattern to give those students who were enjoying the tower more time before being chased out, but she never said anything against it. He usually only took a trivial amount of points as well, unless they ran into Slytherins, of course. He just did not feel right punishing others for doing something that he had done for years.

"I know you always go soft of the people we catch because you and your mates go sneaking about after hours all the time," Lily began after he sent some Hufflepuffs back to their dorms, "but you usually don't get caught, and they did."

"Yes, well they don't have the tools that I have to prevent such things."

"Tools? You mean you have more than your two way mirrors for avoiding detention?" she quirked an eyebrow as they climbed the stairs to the sixth floor.

"Yes, tools, and I'll have you know that there is nothing in the rule book about them," he stated proudly

"Because they didn't exist until you made them, and I'm sure Filch would confiscate them either way" she crossed her arms.

"Which is why he must never know," James held his finger to her lips and made a shushing noise.

She felt a blush creeping up her neck and shook her head, dislodging his finger, "I suppose that after all the homework help I could be persuaded to keep quiet."

"Good, because otherwise I'd have to silence you by force."

"I'd like to see you try," She challenged

"Alas, I have sworn not to practice dueling while out of bounds," he clutched his chest dramatically.

"Well I won't tempt you then" she teased, "not when you've been so good this year"

"I was pretty good last year too"

"I seem to recall that I only spoke to you when you deserved a telling off."

"And if you were paying attention you would have realized that only happened when it had been too long since we last spoke," the words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he immediately looked down, hiding his hazel eyes behind his fringe.

"You only got in trouble last year so I would talk to you?" she asked softly.

He looked thoroughly flustered, "yes well after the O.W.L. incident I figured you didn't need me to give you a hard time anymore, I had solidly landed into the hate-this-guy-forever category" he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"You wanted me to hate you," she stopped walking and stared.

"It's stupid, I was a complete gormless bugger," he turned to face her, "my dad was teasing me about how Potters always marry red heads, and I decided I was going to convince every red head in the school to hate me so that would never happen, and –"

"You wanted me to hate you so I wouldn't marry you?" she asked incredulously.

"Like I said, I was bleeding mental when I came up with this plan, I was eleven, and it seemed solid, when you and sniv- Snape left the compartment."

"You came up with this plan on the train, after knowing me for five seconds?" her voice rose.

He felt the hole he was digging getting deeper, here he had finally formed a friendship with the girl and now he was driving her away, eleven-year-old James would be proud, but seventeen year old James was mortified.

"Well yes, but then last year, when we weren't talking except for when you were telling me off, I realized those were the times I lived for, because you were talking to me, and when I became head boy I was so determined to prove that I was a decent bloke."

"So let me get this straight, you spent five years, driving me absolutely barmy, picking on my best friend, asking me out every five minutes, and being a general prat, so that I wouldn't marry you, and then while I was yelling at you, you realized you actually liked me, and instead of maturely asking me out, you just got in trouble to remind me that you were alive and that entire time you were doing it on purpose because you don't ever get caught unless you want to?" she took in a gasp of air, having said everything in one breath.

"Ok, it's sounds particularly stupid when you put it like that," he said defensively, "and like you would have given me a chance if I had just asked you out last year, you'd assume I was just being a prat and trying to land you again."

"That is probably true," she smiled sheepishly before mumbling, "but you haven't tried this year…" her eyes widened as she realized what she had just said, and her blush returned at full glow. She frowned, when had she gotten the desire for James to ask her on a date? It was true that he helped her with homework, he had risen up to all of the responsibilities he had been given this year, he made her laugh, his smile made her knobby knees shake, he was always friendly towards her, he was helpful with the rest of the student body, and the look of hope he had in his gold-flecked hazel eyes at the moment made her heart melt.

"What was that?" he asked slowly, his voice was calm despite the hope in his eyes.

"I was just thinking that I was glad you hadn't tried to be a prat so I would yell at you this year," she attempted to divert the conversation.

"Yes, but what did you say?" he advanced on her and she became aware of how much taller he was than her, how close they were in the dark corridor, and just how quickly her heart was beating.

"I said, you haven't tried the mature route this year, where you just ask like a civilized human being" she mumbled, but gazed purposefully into his eyes unconsciously biting her lip, she might be flustered and out of her element, but Merlin help her if she was going to be one of those girls that just blushed and stared at her toes when having this sort of conversation.

"Well," he cleared his throat, looking back into the emerald pools, "Lily. Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

"It would be your pleasure" she cracked a nervous grin.

"That it would be", he offered his arm to continue their patrol.

When later asked Lily swore she has no idea what possessed her, but in the moment she decided that this confirmation was not enough, and instead of placing her hand in the crook of his elbow she grabbed his bicep and pulled his face level with hers landing a soft kiss on his cheek, before properly placing her arm in his and leading the way towards the next flight of stairs, "Just so you know, this doesn't mean I'm going to marry you, you might avoid that curse anyways."

"You act as though you have any sort of say in it" he looked down at her.

"I forgot, James Potter has the final say in all things," she rolled her eyes.

"Well at the age of eleven I did say _'that red head is going to be the one if I can't break this curse_'_"_

"I'm a little worried that you remembered that"

"Blame Sirius, when someone makes that sort of proclamation you remember it, so you can throw it back in their face," he gave a crooked grinned.

"Good to know," her stomach turned over ad he continued grinning in her direction.

He pushed open the doors to the astronomy tower, "Oi! Everyone up here get back to your dorms, ten points apiece!" A fifth year Gryffindor girl and a Sixth year Ravenclaw boy slinked out of the shadows. "Off you go then" James pointed to the door.

"You sure can clear a room, Potter" she smirked as the door swung shut again.

"Yes, well I had one more mature question to ask you, and I'd prefer there was not an audience"

"You have to ask at the top of the astronomy tower at the end of November, and since when do you do anything without a audience?" she shivered before her breath caught as he stepped towards her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Since I'm trying to be a civilized human being, besides I couldn't ask for a more beautiful view, seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up."

She looked around, the sky was clear, the stars sparkled around a waning moon and the lights of Hogsmead twinkled in the distance, "It is rather breathtaking," she conceded.

"That's not what I was talking about," he continued to look at her, as the blush she thought she had suppressed sprung up again.

"Didn't you say you had a question?" she pretended his confidence was not intimidating.

"Yes, I do," he moved a little closer leaning his head down.

She swallowed audibly, "and what would that be not that I've already agreed to a date?"

"Could I kiss you?"

Her heart was racing, true she had just agreed to a date, and kissed him on the cheek, but this was different, this was bigger, her eyes were as wide as saucers as he waited for a reply.

After a moment he took the hint and backed away, "sorry, can't blame a bloke for trying" his hand darted for his hair, but Lily was quicker.

She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down planting a kiss squarely on his lips. It was over in a moment. She looked slightly alarmed at her forwardness and he had a dopey grin plastered to his face.

"That was pleasant enough, but did not really answer my question"

"WHAT?" she was indignant.

He chucked, "I asked if I could kiss you, not if you would kiss me"

"that's just semantics" she put her hands on her hips.

"No, you see I kiss rather differently than you do, not that I don't love the surprise kiss" he flashed a cheeky smile

"Fine Potter, if you think you can do better"

"You would think that after all these years you know I always rise to a challenge" he ran a thumb down her cheek, tilting her chin up and looking into her eyes, before closing his own and leaning in. Her eyes fluttered shut and her stomach squirmed happily as she felt his lips press to hers, it was long and lingering, but over much too quickly for her liking.

A small whimper escaped her mouth as he pulled away, "I'll admit that was better"

"I'm not too sure, I think I need another go," he smiled, and just as their lips touched for a third time the astronomy tower door burst open.

"Don't worry, the Head students are patrolling and they'll have cleared this place out and be half way back to their dorms…" Sirius came to a halt, Dorcas Meadows on his arm.

"Erm, I think were a bit early Sirius" Dorcas blushed.

Sirius was still standing dumbstruck, "Isn't this exactly what you two are supposed to be stopping?" he cried indignantly.

"Glad we have you around as a backup" James replied wryly as he turned on his best friend.

"Good evening Dorcas," Lily looked at the Ravenclaw sixth year, "you might want to get back to your dorm as it's a bit after hours" she said conversationally, "And Sirius, ten points from Gryffindor for leading another student out after hours and for interrupting," she brushed by him and pulled Dorcas along with her back down the stairs, "Night, boys" she called over her shoulder.

"Night," Dorcas echoed, shooting a disappointed look back at Sirius.

"Thanks mate" James shot him a glare and punched him in the arm.

"What she was just going to smack you for kissing her anyways" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"For your information, she kissed me first," James headed after the girls, knowing that by now Lily would be walking Dorcas all the way back to Ravenclaw tower before she retired for the night.

"Hold up," Sirius pulled on his arm to slow him, "She kissed you? No hexing, or jinxing, or magical manipulation of any kind?"

"Not even a little" James said proudly

"Your dad is going to be so excited to get the red-headed daughter-in-law he always wanted!" Sirius grinned.

"Thanks for that, it really was the goal of the whole thing" James rolled his eyes and began walking towards Gryffindor tower

"I only wish that I had a time turner so I could go back and rub it in little James' face" Sirius mused as he rushed to keep up with his friend.

"Your maturity is astounding," James snorted.

"I always knew it was only a matter of time before that curse got you," Sirius was positively gleeful

"It's only a matter of time before yours catches up with you," James retorted

"That is not funny, and there is no way I could become Slytherin now anyways," the smirk was wiped from Sirius' face.

"If anyone could find a way it's you"

"I take that as a compliment of my ingenuity." Sirius pouted

"Oh shut up and get to bed," he pointed towards the portrait of the fat lady just ahead of them.

"Off to go find your Lily love?" Sirius waggled his eyebrows before saying the password, "Bundimun."

The portrait swung forward and James paused to see Sirius through before heading off to find Lily. They intersected in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

"What are you still doing up?" She asked as she reached him

"I thought you'd appreciate the company," he reached out for her hand.

"I'm not so helpless that I can't make it back by myself," she smiled in spite of herself as she laced their fingers together. When had this happened, a few hours ago she was struggling to start her transfiguration essay and here she was debating kissing James again.

Before she could come to a conclusion, however, he leaned in to give her a chaste kiss on the lips, "I am very aware that you are not a damsel in distress, but humor me, I am the victim of a long standing family curse."

She laughed before pulling him down into a kiss once more, reveling in the feeling of his smile against her lips.

* * *

_A/N: so this is actually the longest single post I've ever written, and if you're reading my other story "Make Me High on Lullabies" the whole Potter Curse thing was going to be part of that, but that story is already getting a lot longer than I was planning_, _so I set this aside, and they are now completely unrelated. I've been meaning to write an actual short story or years, but i always end up going on for ever, MMHoL was only supposed to be about ten chapters, and in case you're wondering I have started writing the next one. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this, and I super hope you'll review it. pretty please, I'll love you forever!  
_


End file.
